Skip to main content
R
RadioSteve
Inspiring
July 29, 2019
Answered

Active camera doesn’t see layer front view does?v

  • July 29, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 9652 views

Im using Creative Cloud and have extruded, separate 3D layers. The “active camera” isn’t seeing a layer the “front view“ clearly sees. These are all 3D layers, the camera is a 3D layer. The extruded shape layer is visible in the front view but is gone in the active camera view. What am I doing wrong?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer RadioSteve

    So to answer the last question, first, if I solo the black brush strokes layer (which is an extruded shape layer) then you can’t see the image because it’s got no background (the “view“ of  background in the absence of a layer is also black.if I try to select two views it gives me an error message  “After Effects error: invalid camera view index ( 26 : : 327 )”.

    You are correct I’m using a template as a guide for parameters (the video I’m creating is a 3D render of the animated logo for viewing in a special environment [its a holographic display case made by Realfiction called a “Dreamoc XL3”] and there are areas that can’t contain video or the illusion is lost).

    There are no blend modes applied and I’ll send another screenshot showing the layer in a custom view where you can see it is in the right position. The layer in question is labeled “black outlines” in the layers panel.


    Wow! When I went back to take screen shots I started making layers visible again, and when I did I made all the layers visible EXCEPT the one marked “guide” which contains the masked area on the sides where video can’t appear: when I make this layer visible, the shape layer becomes invisible to the active camera. Very weird.

    1 reply

    R
    Community Expert
    Rick GerardCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 29, 2019

    The Front view, in fact, all other views, do not have a vanishing point and they will not render. These views are used to position layers in AE's 3D space. They will not render.

    If the Active Camera view does not see the same view as Front view if the layers or the cameras have moved. The only time the view is the same is when a layer is at comp center and the camera is at its default position and the Point of Interest for a 2 node camera or it's rotation properties are also at the default settings. Move a layer or the camera and the views are going to change.

    You should spend some time with the User Guide. Type Animating Cameras in the Search Help field at the top right corner of After Effects and do some studying or at least go to the After Effects product page or the Overview section of this forum and run some of the tutorials that explain how AE's 3D space works. Be very warry of AE tutorials you find on YouTube. There are a huge number of them presented by enthusiasts that leave out critical information or promote extremely poor workflows.  The Overview section is in the menu bar on the home page at the far left.

    R
    RadioSteveAuthor
    Inspiring
    July 29, 2019

    I am composing an animated 3D logo, where I’ve deconstructed the original, made shape layers from the pieces and re-assembled them as extrusions. No layers have been moved, the camera hasn’t been moved. The active camera sees all the layers EXCEPT the last layer I added which are simply the black brush strokes of the original white lettering (which I didn’t want to accidentally extrude with the white lettering, so I removed them and made a separate shape later and extruded it). This layer is perfectly visible and directly in front of the (white extruded letters). Each other part of the deconstructed logo are seen be the active camera, but when I add the slightly extruded brush strokes back to the composition they aren’t seen by the active camera anymore, only the front view can see it.  I’ve been through the documentation and other educational based material. It isn’t answering this weird question.

    R
    RadioSteveAuthor
    Inspiring
    July 29, 2019

    ACTIVE CAMERA

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices